The monacolin K (lovastatin or mevinolin) content in fermented substrates is another functional value-added application of the Monascus mold, which inhibits cholesterol
formation by stopping the action of a key enzyme in the liver, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, the rate-limiting step in cholesterol biosynthesis (Manzoni and Rollini,2002). The optimal cultivation temperature for monacolin production is between 24 to 26°C, but is higher for pigment production from the same
strain (Gailing, 1998).